Welding electrode

ABSTRACT

A continuous feeding ferrous-welding electrode is formed by initially coating a mild steel wire with a lime solution, applying a substantially dry-soap-lubricating compound to coat the surface of the wire, drawing the wire to reduce its diameter with a portion of the sodium soap being impregnated within the surface pores of the wire, applying a liquid lubricating solution to the wire, and further drawing the wire to reduce its diameter with a portion of the lubricating solution also being impregnated into the surface pores of the wire to provide a rust and corrosion resistant electrode having improved feeding and welding characteristics.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Paul E. Dane Troy, Ohio [21] Appl. No. 871,515

[22] Filed Aug. 18,1969

[45] Patented Nov. 23, 1971 [73] Assignee Hobart Brothers Company Troy, Ohio Original application Dec. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 600,276, now Patent No. 3,478,552, Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 255,528, Feb. 1, 1963, now abandoned. Dlvided and this application Aug. 18, 1969, Ser. No. 871,515

[54] WELDING ELECTRODE 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 117/202, 148/25 51 Int. Cl ..1 ..B23k 35/36, C23f 17/00 Primary Examiner-William L. Jarvis Attorney-Marechal, Biebel, French & Bugg ABSTRACT: A continuous feeding ferrous-welding electrode is formed by initially coating a mild steel wire with a lime solution, applying a substantially dry-soap-lubricating compound to coat the surface of the wire, drawing the wire to reduce its diameter with a portion of the sodium soap being impregnated within the surface pores of the wire, applying a liquid lubricating solution to the wire, and further drawing the wire to reduce its diameter with a portion of the lubricating solution also being impregnated into the surface pores of the wire to provide a rust and corrosion resistant electrode having improved feeding and welding characteristics.

PATENTEDunv 23 I971 3.622383 INVENTOR PAUL E. DANE ATTORN WELDING ELECTRODE RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a division of application Ser. No. 600,276, filed Dec. 8, 1966, and now Pat. No. 3,478,552 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 255,528, filed Feb. I, 1963, now abandoned.

In conventional wire-drawing equipment the same comprise a die box containing the drawing die and which has positioned thereto a compartment or chamber for holding lubricant, and through which the wire passes before entering the drawing die. Various lubricants have been used or suggested, such as powdered lime, grease, soap, and the like. Flash coatings of metal such as copper have also been used. Such coatings when applied to wire electrodes provide a relatively thick film of the material on the wire which is easily scraped off as the coated electrode is fed through the welding nozzle and hoses. Even flash coatings of metal, e.g. copper deposited on the wire surface tend to flake off and accumulate on the working parts of the welding apparatus.

In accordance with the improved welding electrode of this invention, the electrode is wet drawn using a combination of powdered soap and liquid detergent which is forced into the surface pores of the wire. Wet drawing of the wire is essential, at least during the last wire-drawing operation, to impregnate the surface of the wire with the detergent lubricant and avoid leaving a coating of the lubricant material on the wire and such as tends to scrape off during use of the wire electrode.

Dry-drawing employing powdered soap and the like lubricant may be utilized during intermediate wire-drawing operations, and which is followed by a final wet-drawing operation to form the finished electrode. Wet drawing of the wire using powdered soap and liquid detergent in accordance with the invention leaves only an infinitesimally thin film of the lubricant impregnant on the surface of the wire. During wet drawing, the detergent lubricant is hydraulically forced or pressure worked into the pores at the surface of the wire and which is essential for achieving the improved results.

The invention is applicable for the treatment of limed or unlimed wire or rod electrodes. Such material is treated with a soap and liquid detergent prior to power-drawing the wire through one or more dies until the electrode is of the desired diameter. By wet drawing of the wire electrode the detergent lubricant is impregnated into the wire surface and no appreciable coating thickness of the lubricant is left on the surface of the wire, as aforementioned.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an electrode for welding having improved properties, and which avoids the aforementioned difficulties encountered with conventionally coated electrodes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a welding electrode having an adherent outer impregnated film of material which functions both as a lubricant and rush inhibitor and which does not increase the contact resistance of the welding electrode at the current-collecting nozzle.

In accordance with the present invention, an improved electrode wire is produced by the treatment of the same to impregnate the electrode surface portion with an electrically conductive lubricant and corrosion inhibitor. Welding wire electrodes treated in accordance with the invention slip through the hoses and nozzles of the welding equipment easily and the electrode is protected against rusting or deterioration due to corrosion.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be apparent, and for the purpose of illustration, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 illustrates in section and on an enlarged scale a wire electrode having the surface area portion impregnated with a lubricant and protective composition;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through a pair of wire-drawing die boxes and illustrating how the invention may be practiced;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a modified wire-drawing die box for applying the liquid detergent;

Referring to the drawings, in FIG. 1 a finished electrode 10 is illustrated, having an integral surface or impregnated shell 11 comprising the detergent lubricant.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, a wire electrode 12 passes through a die box 14 and drawing die 16. The die box is provided with a chamber 18 which is filled with powdered sodium soap 20. Following drawing die 16, the resultant drawn wire 21 is passed through die box 24 containing liquid detergent 25 and finally through the drawing die 30, to provide a finished electrode 32.

As a modification of the liquid die box arrangement shown in FIG. 2, there is illustrated in FIG. 3 a spray-type die box. In this modification the wire 34 is passed through a closed spray chamber 36 and sprayed with liquid detergent, which may contain dye for marking the wire as it is drawn to the desired size by the drawing die 40. Utilizing a pump 41 and conduit arrangement with spray nozzles 43, the liquid detergent may be withdrawn from the bath 45 and sprayed on the wire just prior to its passage through the drawing die 40 to provide a finished electrode wire 48.

Preferred embodiments of the invention, but not limitative thereof, are exemplified in the examples as follows EXAMPLE 1 Parts by Weight Sodium stearate 84.0 Borax 10.0 Sodium nitrite 5.5 Moisture 0.5

The sodium stearate functions as an adherent lubricant, and borax and sodium nitrite serve as a buffer and rust inhibitor. While the constituents of the soap composition may be varied over a range of mm 20percent depending upon the metal used in the wire electrode, that set out in example I is preferred for ferrous metal wire electrodes.

The liquid detergent and impregnant is composed of the following components which are mixed with water to provide a liquid composition.

EXAMPLE 2 Parts by Weight potassium oleate 44 Potassium linoleate 44 Corn oil fatty acid (linoleic acid) 5 Sodium biphosphate Polyalkaline glycol (sodium salt ofdietltylene glycol) EXAMPLE 3 As a modification, and where it is desired to color the electrode, an azo dye is incorporated in the liquid detergent composition of example 2 in sufficient amount to color the elec trode. To produce a red colored electrode Croceine scarlet 3B is added to the liquid detergent c'ompositionto give it a brilliant red color. To provide a yellow-colored electrode, Metanil Yellow is added to the detergent composition.

EXAMPLE 4 Example 1 is repeated using a blend comprising lzl parts by weight of the sodium stearate composition of example land the detergent composition of example 2 dissolved in water. Five pounds of the solids mixture is dissolved in 20 gallons of water. This mixture is applied to limed drawn wire to provide an electrode having the liquid detergent mixture impregnated in the surface. Liming of the drawn wire is conventional practice for providing the surface with calcium electrons in the economic reasons they are not generally employed. The bare wire may, where desired, be drawn through an aqueous suspension of calcium hydroxide (lime water) and the lime coated wire air dried. Thereafter the coated wire is treated with sodium soap and liquid detergent in accordance with the present invention, to provide an electrode having the improved electric arc-welding characteristics.

While the composition of the surface coating herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the inven tion, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to Parts by Weight sodium slearate 84.0 borax |0,0 sodium nitrite 5.5 moisture 0.5

said detergent consisting of the following solids composition:

potassium oleate 44 potassium linoleate 44 corn oil fatty acid 5 sulfonated naphthalene 5 sodium biphosphate l polyalkaline glycol l. 

